Fields of White
by kirason
Summary: (sequel to Fields of Green) Have one struggling Trainee. Mix in a couple too many Gifts for her liking. Add a heavy dose of danger, hostility, and maybe a little love. And that's where Lyrissa's story continues...


Disclaimer – Hey all!  Yes, I'm finally back, though who knows for how long ; P  Normal stuff still applies: I really wish I did, but no…I don't own the world of Valdemar :) That all belongs to Mercedes Lackey. However! All those oh-so-interesting (or not, you decide ;) characters that have never made an appearance in any of her novels from my chapters (Lyrissa, Alie, Mikel, Jesin, you know who)… they belong to me ^_^ Of course, you're welcome to use my characters… provided you tell me ;) Any questions/comments can be sent to dazz1eu@yahoo.com and would be greatly appreciated ^_^ Just don't be too harsh, neh? ;)

~ Chapter 1 ~

            _The snow was falling gently, dusting Lyrissa as if an angel's blessing.  Holding back a sneeze, she glanced around at the looming trees before her._

_            Over to the side was a circle, a different color than the snow covered ground.  From the circle, tracks that looked human led deeper into the woods.  She would have to hurry, otherwise the snow would obscure the tracks, but something stopped her._

_            The growing feeling of something WRONG and something BAD.  And it was coming soon.  Not necessarily a physical thing, and yet something that was.  Inwardly, she knew.  She had heard the whispers._

_            The Storms._

_            As if the thought invoked them, the wind seemed to howl louder, whipping around her.  Blinding her.  She couldn't see anymore.  She fell to her knees, attempting to ward off the wind by shielding her face with her arms._

_            Yet her place wasn't facing the Storms.  There were Others for that._

_            She knew that with certainty._

_            But where…_

_            A different thread of wind whipped around her, this one seeming more gentle, caressing._

_            ::Forget:: it whispered._

_            And the world dissolved into mist._

~~ ^ ~~

            *BONG*

            Lyrissa's eyes fluttered open, sleep-filled eyes touched with confusion made normally clear eyes a cloudy blue.  Her eyes focused on the ceiling, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something important had just happened…

            But that was the morning bell, which signified that she had better get up and start her day.  With a sigh, she sat up, taking in her surroundings.  It had been precisely a year since she had first come to the Healers.  A year since her entire life had changed.  She wasn't necessarily sure it was for the better, either, but she had also discovered that you couldn't argue with a horse.

            Especially with a horse that could talk in your head.

            _::Naturally:: _she heard a faint whinny of laughter.  _::It's just best not to try::_

            Lyrissa rolled her eyes, _::You__:: _she shot back _::Should not eavesdrop::_

            _::Ah, but I wasn't.  You were projecting clear as day down the link::_ Jayce replied in all seriousness, though his voice was still tinged with good humor.  _::And I dare say that after your entrance here, it's quite a change to have you so open instead of tightly shielded::_

            She bit back a sigh, and hurried to finished getting dressed.  She didn't want to talk about it.

            _::Relax, things will be ok::_ was the last warm thought before Jayce dropped the active link.  Shaking her head, Lyrissa grabbed her books before carefully closing her door.

~~ ^ ~~

            "She's a WHAT??"

            Healer Jesin looked at Herald Elspeth incredulously, but she only firmed her mouth and stuck up her chin a little higher.

            "I repeat, Lyrissa has Mage-Gift potential.  It's not much, maybe only enough for Journeyman status, but regardless she must be trained."

            Slowly, Jesin repeated after Elspeth.  "Lyrissa has Mage-Gift potential."

            "You heard me correctly the first time."

            "You are going to KILL the girl!" he exploded in obvious worry, throwing his hands into the air.  "She's already balancing a very precarious Healer-Trainee and Herald-Trainee status and you're telling me you also want to-"

            "Get her Mage-Gift trained as well," Elspeth interrupted.  "Listen, I don't need you to argue with me, I need you to give me access to her.  Mage-Gift is dangerous untrained."

            Herald Jesin sighed and shook his head.  "She's already falling behind in her classes as is since she's struggling to take on a double load.  Making it a triple load?  No," Jesin raised a hand as Elspeth opened her mouth to protest.  "I don't want to hear it.  I will talk with her and that's the best I can promise."  The last ended on a steely note and a glare that promised that this was not open to discussion any further.

            Elspeth's mouth firmed.

            "I promise I will do the best I can do to accommodate you, Herald Elspeth," Jesin's voice was now softer, more wearied.  "But we do really need to see about getting things adjusted so that she isn't wearing herself out."

~~ ^ ~~

            _::Each day is too much of an adventure:: _groaned Lyrissa as she collapsed on one of the posts by the Companion's Field.

            There was a sense of routine to her schedule, but it seemed to fluctuate a lot.  Both the Healers and the Heralds did not seem entirely too sure what to do with her.  The little logistics of the entire operation were, admittedly, giving her a headache.

            Once she had been declared "balanced" enough to resume her normal Trainee duties, there was the question of what Trainee WAS she?  She had a strong Healing Gift, so there was no doubt that had to continue to be trained.  But as the Chosen of Companion Jayce, she should be officially enrolled in the Herald's Collegium as well and taught Heraldic duties.

            A compromise had eventually been formed.  Healer/Herald Trainee Lyrissa Lorhart would alternate her days of lessons, with the majority of her focus however first directed at being a Healer since her other gifts with minor in comparison to her Healing gift.  Animal Empathy, which explained her immediate connection with animals.  A touch of Mindspeech, enough to communicate with Jayce and others with a strong gift.

            But the double duties were starting to take a toll.  Lyrissa sighed as she tucked her head inbetween her knees.  Wistfully, she thought back to times before where she simply worried about caring for animals in the field and her sister…

            _Jinny_

            Sorrow descended upon Lyrissa, her heart aching.  She had failed Jinny in many respects, but had promised her younger sibling to pursue her schooling.

            The crushing guilt was gone though, and sometimes Lyrissa couldn't help but wonder…

            A whicker and a small puff of air interrupted her thoughts.  Smiling, she looked up and patted Jayce's nose.  _::Trying to sneak up on me?::_

            _::Would I do that?:: _Lyrissa could tell that Jayce was trying his best to look innocent and she smiled halfheartedly.

            _::Yes::_ she replied with certainty as she stood and began to stroke Jayce's mane absentmindedly.  _::You would, and take great pleasure in scaring me too::_

            Jayce was about to reply when his ears suddenly perked up and eyes grew distant.  Lyrissa waited in silence, knowing that this meant that her Companion was being contacted by somebody probably looking for her.  Despite his attitude in trying to convince her otherwise, in many ways she still saw Jayce as exactly like the horse.  Certainly his body language was the same, if nothing else.

            _::Chosen, the Healer Jesin is looking for you now::_ Jayce mentally sent as his ears came back down and eyes refocused.  _::It seems to be a rather important talk, and you're not allowed to dally::_

            _::Just my luck…::_ Lyrissa groaned as she looked at her uniform and dusted off any stray grass.  _::Not to mention that it means I really _do_ have to see him now, where I've been trying to avoid him.  Clearly, it's not my day::_

            _::You think he knows?:: _Jayce sounded worried, and Lyrissa tilted her head in contemplation.

            _::He could, but I could always blame it on exhaustion:: _ She reached up to hug Jayce around the neck.  _::I really appreciate you not telling anyone about this problem::_

            _::I still think…:: _but he trailed off as Lyrissa simply patted him on the neck before turning and heading towards the Healer Collegium.  With a sigh, he settled down on his knees, watching his Chosen pick her way through the grass.

            Because the truth was, Healer/Herald Trainee Lyrissa was slowly becoming a danger.  Her shields, once known to be impermeable to all, had become as thin and as fragile as glass.

~~ ^ ~~

            "Lyrissa, wait up!" cried a light tenor voice.  Glancing over her shoulder, she paused as she let a boy of smallish build and messy light dirty blond hair catch up with her.

            "Hello Piel," she replied casually.  Piel often went out of his way to help her out, although she still treated him with a wary hand.  He didn't seem to let them discourage him very much, though, and Lyrissa had to grudgingly admit that maybe the friendship he offered was genuine.  "Done with class?"

            "Thankfully yes," he replied cheekily, easily falling into step beside her.  "And you?  Where are you off to?"

            "Healer Jesin's office.  I was –" she began but abruptly halted as she felt the shield around her waver.  It seemed so thin, like a soap bubble ready to pop.  Gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes and shoved any of her Gift that she could "grasp" into the wall that was surrounding her.  She knew that if the shield went down, she would only prove those like Healer Bremol correct, and she was doing her best to fight her way through her own troubles.

            Dangerously it wavered until with one hard final shove, the shield managed to stabilize, although pulsing in tune with her heartbeat.  With a sigh, Lyrissa opened her eyes to see a concerned Piel, eyes wide.

            "Rissa, you ok?  What was wrong, did you –"

            "Nothing's wrong," she cut in, somewhat sharply.  Noticing Piel's alarm, she softened her tone.  "I just felt… dizzy for a second.  No need to be concerned.  I really must hurry off now, I'll talk to you later!"  And with that, Lyrissa briskly set off down the hallway, leaving Piel behind to stare after her, confusion swimming in his eyes.

            Neither noticed the man further back down the hallway standing in the shadows of a door frame, eyes full of dislike and malice fixed upon the retreating Trainee.

~~ ^ ~~

            A soft knock at the door caused Healer Jesin to look up.  "Come in!"

            In slipped a small figure, hands clasped behind the back.  "Healer Jesin," Lyrissa acknowledged with a slight bow of her head.

            With a nod, Jesin gestured towards another chair.  "Please, do sit.  It has been a while, Lyrissa.  How have you been?"

            "Ah – I've been fine," she murmured.  About as fine as anyone could be given the circumstances, but she was not about to repeat that part out loud.  She sat down in the chair that had been pointed at, and continued to look down at the ground, unwilling to make eye contact.  Concentrating, she glanced at her shield out of the corner of her eye.  So far so good.

            "Good, good," replied Jesin absently, too distracted with the task at hand to notice Lyrissa's lack of enthusiasm.  "And classes?"

            "I'm getting by," was the brief reply.  She waited, knowing that Jesin would hardly call her into his office without a valid reason.  "But this isn't about a check up on my academia, is it?"

            Jesin coughed.  "No, you're right of course."  With a sigh, he looked at the Trainee in front of him.  She looked … wearied.  Her shoulders were slumped down and with her head tilted downward, most of Lyrissa's hair covered her face.  "I have news from Herald Elspeth."

            He could see that she stiffened a little, but otherwise no response came.

            "She has… informed me that you evidently have some of the Mage-Gift as well.  She requests that you be trained with the others and that…" Jesin continued on, relaying Elspeth's information, but Lyrissa had stopped listening.

            It all had to be a nightmare.  Lyrissa inwardly gritted her teeth.  Another Gift?  What was she, some sort of person that ran counter to nature?  Healers were not supposed to Heralds, and Healers definitely were not supposed to be Mages.  Somehow, that just went against the goal of the Gift of Healing to her.

            "… and well, I know you're already quite busy, but Herald Elspeth was quite stubborn on the fact that you could cause a great many problems with your Gift untrained."  Jesin ended with a sigh.  Noticing the silence, he refocused his attention on the Trainee in front of him and frowned slightly.  "Lyrissa?"

            The shield was wavering, she could feel it.  Her shield seemed to be largely attached to her emotions, and right now her emotions were only negative.  Desperately, Lyrissa tried to get herself under control, all the while shoving more of her Gift at the shield.

            Jesin furrowed his brow at the continued silence and the obvious struggle that was taking place inside of the Trainee.  Concerned, he stood, dropping his shield to look at Lyrissa with his Healing Gift.  What he saw made his eyes grow wide.  "Lyrissa!  You –" he began, reaching out to touch Lyrissa on the shoulder.

            At that movement, Lyrissa's eyes snapped upward, and Jesin stepped back in fear at what greeted him.  Her eyes, normally various shades of blue depending on her mood, were now brighter than before, almost on the verge of white.  She also seemed to be practically radiating her emotions, and it was all Jesin could do to keep the barraging emotions separate from his own.  Backing away, he waved his hands almost helplessly as he struggled to get himself back under control.

            And then something seemed to pop.  With a loud crack, a wave of energy passed through Jesin, causing him to stumble slightly as it temporarily caused all his limbs to tingle.  However, before he could regain his sense of equilibrium, the crack was followed by a loud crash.

            Pale skinned and breathing shallowly, Trainee Lyrissa had fallen off of her chair and was down on the floor, out cold.

_~ Ummm yeah, what did everyone think?  It's kinda hard to get back into the mood of things, but I think I still remember my characters =)  Please leave a review if you like and hopefully I'll get to Chap. 2 soon ^_^ ~_


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